Child motion device

• US 20070111809A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Godiska, James, Kakuda, Baku, Bellows, William, Ransil, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,563,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 472/118
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 1/10 capable of being suspended from, or attached to, tables or other articles
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/101 Foldable rocking chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/105 pivotally mounted in a frame
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/107 resiliently suspended or supported, e.g. baby bouncers
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 9/005 foldable
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 9/016 capable of being suspended from, or attached to, other articles or structures, e.g. adult's bed
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 9/057 driven by electric motors

Abstract

A child motion device has a frame assembly configured to rest on a floor surface. The device also has a drive system and a cantilevered arm extending from part of the device. The arm is supported above the floor surface and has a driven end coupled to and movable by the drive system and a distal end opposite the driven end. The drive system is configured to pivotally move the arm through a partial orbit around a generally vertical axis of rotation. A child seat is supported on the distal end of the support arm.

Claims

1. A child motion device comprising:

a frame assembly configured to rest on a floor surface;

a drive system; and

a support arm supported above the floor surface by the frame assembly and having a driven end coupled to and movable by the drive system, the drive system configured to pivotally move the support arm through a partial orbit around a generally vertical axis of rotation and to accept a child supporting device for movement with the support arm.

2. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the child supporting device is a removable seat.

3. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the frame assembly further comprises:

a base section that can be arranged to lie on the floor surface; and

a spine that can be arranged to extend upward from the base section away from the floor surface and wherein the support arm is cantilevered from a part of the spine.

4. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the support arm has a seat holder on the distal end configured to receive and support a child seat in more than one optionally selectable seat facing orientations.

5. A child motion device according to claim 4, wherein the child seat can rest on the seat holder in four seat facing orientations including a first orientation facing the support arm, a second orientation facing away from the support arm, a third orientation with the support arm positioned on the left side of the child seat, and a fourth orientation with the support arm positioned on the right side of the child seat.

6. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the seat holder is a ring surrounding an opening and is configured to accept a child seat with a depending part that sets within the opening and with additional parts that rest on and engage with the ring in any selected rotational seat facing orientation.

7. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the arm travels within a travel plane that is tilted at an angle of greater than 0 degrees relative to the generally horizontal reference plane such that the child seat reciprocates through an arc that has a mid-point positioned nearer the floor surface than extreme ends of the arc.

8. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the angle of the travel plane of the arm is adjustable relative to the horizontal reference plane.

9. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the child supporting device is a removable seat configured to be readily secured for use in another device selected from a group consisting of a stroller, a pendulum swing, a bouncer, and a car seat.

10. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the frame assembly comprises:

a base section having a perimeter ring surrounding a space that is substantially open, the perimeter ring configurable to rest on the floor surface; and

a spine positioned along and extending upward from part of the perimeter ring, the drive system being housed in an interior of a housing of the spine.

11. A child motion device according to claim 10, wherein the base section and the support arm are each reconfigurable to a folded condition lying closely spaced to and generally parallel to the spine in the folded condition.

12. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the base section and the spine are pivotally coupled to one another and can be folded to a condition lying generally parallel to one another.

13. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the arm rotates reciprocally around the axis of rotation about the driven end within an arc of about 120 degrees.

14. A child motion device according to claim 13, wherein the generally vertical axis of rotation of the arm is oriented at an angle of about 15 degrees relative to a vertical reference plane and leans in a direction toward a mid-point of the arc.

15. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the child supporting device is a removable seat that can be adjustably reclined.

16. A child motion device according to claim 1, wherein the child supporting device is a removable seat with one or more latches that positively and removably engage with a part of the support arm.

17. A child motion device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a touch pad device on a portion of the frame assembly and electronically coupled to the drive system to control at least movement of the support arm.

18. A child motion device according to claim 17, wherein the touch pad device is a child-proof capacitive touch screen.

19. A child motion device according to claim 17, wherein the touch pad device is carried on a telescoping, vertically adjustable part of the frame assembly.

20. A child motion device comprising:

a frame assembly having a base section configured to rest on a floor surface that lies in a generally horizontal reference plane and having an upright section extending upward from a part of the base section and defining a generally vertical axis of rotation;

a drive system carried-by a part of the frame assembly; and

a support arm with a driven end coupled to the upright section and movable by the drive system, the support arm cantilevered radially outward relative to the axis of rotation, the support arm being configured to support a child above the floor surface and being pivotally movable about the driven end to move the child through a reciprocating arc around the axis of rotation.

21. A child motion device according to claim 20, wherein the axis or rotation of the arm is oriented at a slightly acute angle relative to the generally horizontal reference plane and in the direction of the reciprocating arc.

22. A child motion device according to claim 20, wherein the frame assembly is reconfigurable between an in-use condition and a more compact folded condition.

23. A child motion device according to claim 20, further comprising:

a seat holder on the arm configured to accept a child seat with a child supporting surface.

24. A child motion device according to claim 23, wherein the child seat can be removed from the seat holder and can be attached to the seat holder in a plurality of different selectable seat facing orientations.

25. A child motion device comprising:

a frame configured to rest on a floor surface that lies in a generally horizontal reference plane;

a drive system carried by a part of the child motion device;

a cantilevered arm with a driven end coupled to and movable by the drive system, the arm extending in a radial direction from a part of the child motion device and having a distal end opposite the driven end, the arm being rotatable about a generally vertical rotation axis; and

a child seat supported on the arm spaced from the driven end and above the floor surface and being driven through a reciprocating path about the rotation axis.

26. A child motion device according to claim 25, wherein the child seat is removable and can be placed on the arm in a plurality of optionally selectable seat facing orientations.